The Truth About Everything
by Ojosama
Summary: *Finished* Why does Ryuichi act like he does? Who is this strange girl? Will Ryu and Tats ever get a new coffee maker?
1. Teaser

Note from Shu-chan: I've only read the first two manga and seen the 13 TV eps. I haven't gotten my paws on the OVA yet. And this depresses me. But not so much as Navi does. :::kicks computer::: Anyway, I don't know too much about either Ryuichi or Tastuha past the anime. So bear with anything I may get wrong ^.^ Well....here goes nothing!!  
  
Dedicated to ChibiUkyou. Your reviews make my day ^.^ And to everybody else too! But she made me do this. (now you know who to blame!)  
  
**************************************************  
  
"He's dead!!!"  
  
Tatsuha struggled through sleep to wake up and sat up groggily in the bed. "Wha?"  
  
Ryuichi jumped onto the bed on his knees and stared with wide eyes at the younger man in his bed. "He's dead, Tatsuha! I don't know what to do...." The child-like singer hugged his pink rabit to his chest and whimpered pathetically.  
  
"Who's dead, Ryu-chan?" Tatsuha pushed back his dark hair from his eyes and yawned still groggy.  
  
"Mr. Coffee!!" Ryuichi exclaimed.  
  
It wasn't the first time the Mr. Coffee had broken, but it was the first time Ryuichi had proclaimed it dead. "I'll see what's wrong with it," Tatsuha promised pulling himself out of bed. "Just let me take a shower first. And don't call K this time?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded and Tatsuha stepped into the bathroom wondering if perhaps it was one of Mr. K's stray bullets that kept Mr. Coffee from doing his job.  
  
Ryuichi scrambled off the bed and bounced into the kitchen happily. He set his pink stuffed bunny on the counter and poked at the coffee maker. Tatsuha really liked coffee so he had wanted to have some made for his young lover. "Stupid Mr. Coffee.....work....." Ryuichi tried to pull it apart to see the inside.  
  
"Tatsuha said he'd fix it, Ryuichi," Kumagurou said cautiously in his high pitched voice.  
  
"I know, but he doesn't think so well until he gets coffee," Ryuichi told the rabbit matter-of-factly.  
  
Kumagurou pulled the plug on the coffee maker so the singer wouldn't electrocute himself. "Then call somebody."  
  
"Tatsuha said not to call K...." Ryuichi looked up to Kumagurou wide eyed.  
  
"Which is exactly why you shouldn't," Tatsuha said as he stepped into the room. He was already aware that Ryuichi talked to Kumagurou when he was alone. "Let me see the coffee maker." Tatsuha gently pushed Ryuichi to the side and examined the machine. "I think we need a new one, Ryu-chan....I'll pick one up later."  
  
"Ok." Ryuichi looked up as the doorbell rang. "Ah! Tohma!!!" Ryuichi ran to the door grabbing Kumagurou on the way. He threw open the door happily for the blonde before his eyes widened and he tore back into the kitchen. "Good bye, Tatsuhaaaaaa!!!" Ryuichi called as he takled his young lover before heading off to work.  
  
Tatsuha just smiled and shoved the coffee maker into the trashcan.  
  
***************************************  
  
The dark haired singer danced around the studio with his stuffed rabbit on his head singing a nonesense song at the top of his lungs.  
  
Ryuichi had been done for a little while and was patiently waiting for Tohma to be done. Tohma was taking him out to eat tonight!  
  
Ryuichi stopped singing and pressed his nose to the glass looking hoping he looked pathetic to the people on the other side, but none of them noticed him. Now Ryuichi was bored.  
  
And that was not a good thing.  
  
Down the hall he could just make out the new song Bad Luck had been working on for the last week. "Sounds like its almost done, ne, Kumagurou? Let's go see. But we have to be quiet." the rabbit obediently kept silent as Ryuichi crept stealthily down the hall and pushed open the door.  
  
"Ryuichi?!" Ryuichi jumped up and away from the door looking innocent for Noriko. "Leave them alone, Ryuichi. Shu-kun never comes sneaking into your recordings." She closed the door quietly and narowed her eyes at her bandmate. "Go play with Kumagurou somewhere else, ok? Tohma's almost done, but I'll tell him to hurry."  
  
Ryuichi nodded sulking a bit and wandered down the hall towards the big NG studio lobby to wait for Tohma. "Noriko-chan sure was made, ne?" He asked the pink bunny in his arms. "Wah! Kumagurou!!" Ryuichi ran to one of the large windows with a cry and pressed his palms and face against th glass. Outside the ran trickled down, obviously letting up from a heavier downpour.  
  
As Ryuichi pouted against the glass a couple of people walking down the street caught his attention. A boy with glasses and shoulder length dark hair walked down the damp street beside a girl in a dress that looked like something from a CLAMP manga. The girl chattered away unheard through the cold window panes not paying attention to where she walked, obviously secure in the saftey of the five inch souls of her boots. The boy nodded listening and rubbed absently at his bandaged wrist as they disapearred out of Ryuichi's sight.  
  
Tohma came down the stairs slowly watching Ryuichi. The man had stepped back from the window but stood staring out it a haunted look in his eyes. A look Tohma had never seen before and never wanted to see again. "Ryuichi," he ventured cautiously.  
  
Ryuichi turned slowly the vacant look in his eyes still and he blinked slowly staring at Tohma without really seeing him. 


	2. Chapter 1

Notes from Shu-chan: Well here is the first official chapter of my ficcy. ano....not really alot to say.....I'm not used to writing Tats and Ryu stories so we'll see how this goes.....Sorry this took so lng but I work in a Toy store and the holidays . Oi. Vey. Anyway I'm done with finals soon so it'll all be good and the rest should follow with much better speed. :::crosses fingers:::  
  
******************************  
  
Tatsuha had begged and pleaded with his brother to get a chance to meet Ryuichi Sakuma. That hadn't gotten him any where so he turned his attention to his brother's young lover.  
  
Shuichi had been much more eager to help than Eiri had. The two shared a common adoration of Ryuichi and Shuichi understood what it was like to want to see the object of your adoration. Granted, Shuichi only wanted to be Ryuichi while Tatsuha had been wanting to jump Ryuichi.  
  
So Tatsuha had ended up hanging out at NG records quite a bit. It had been hard the first week not to tackle Ryuichi every time he saw him, but as Tatsuha had gotten to know Ryuichi it had gotten easier.  
  
Ryuichi acted like such a little kid Tatsuha felt like he was robbing the cradle. He wondered if Eiri ever felt like this with Shuichi.  
  
Now it had been nearly two months and the two had been hanging out together a lot.  
  
This was the first time Ryuichi had asked Tatsuha over 'to play'. Tatsuha sighed as he flipped channels on the TV. Ryuichi had bounded off a few minutes ago with Kumagurou.  
  
"Tatsuha? You ok?" Ryuichi sat down on the couch watching Tatsuha worriedly.  
  
Tatsuha blinked and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I was just thinking."  
  
"About me?"  
  
Tatsuha faultered and looked at Ryuichi cautiously. The man's voice had changed. The pitch had lowered a little. "R-ryuichi?" Ryuichi leaned close to Tatsuha smiling. Though this smile was very different from his previous ones. Tatsuha also noted the lack of Kumagurou. "Wh-where's Kumagurou?" he asked hoping to get Ryuichi to think about something else. He didn't want to take advantage of Ryuichi's state of mind, easy as that would have been.  
  
"He was tired." Ryuichi wrapped an arm around Tatsuha's waist and put his head on Tatsuha's shoulder. "You don't like me? A little pink bird said you did."  
  
Tatsuha realized Ryuichi didn't say bunny and made a mental note to either kill or thank Shuichi when next they met. Depending on how this night turned out....  
  
Ryuichi looked up pouting a little, but even so, he was different. Older, more mature. More like he was when he sang. The rare side few saw off stage.  
  
Ryuichi nuzzled Tatsuha's neck hands sliding places they didn't belong.  
  
Definantly thank Shuichi.  
  
****************************************************  
  
"Tatsuha isn't here," Ryuichi said matter of factly to Tohma. Tohma followed Ryuichi's pointing finger to the garbage where the old coffee maker peeked over the top.  
  
They were finally getting a new one, Tohma mused to himself. They had fixed the old one so many times Tohma was begining to think they would go as far as to bury it in the backyard when it finally gave out. Thankfully the two had just thrown it away.  
  
Ryuichi sat Kumagurou down on the counter and grabbed Tohma's hand to get the blonde's attention. "I'm sorry, Tohma. I didn't mean to make you worry about me. I'm ok now."  
  
Tohma studied Ryuichi's big pouting eyes a long moment before giving up. It was like looking into the eyes of a five year old. "Its alright, Ryuichi. I worry about you. We're friends right?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded happily. "Tohma is Ryuichi's friend!"  
  
Tohma smiled back nodding. "I'm gonna leave you ok? Tatsuha will be back soon right? You're sure you'll be ok?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded emphatically. "I'm ok! Tatsuha will be back soon and I *can* take care of myself." Ryuichi looked like a pouty little boy.  
  
Tohma laughed and nodded. "Then I will see you tomorrow. Call me if you need anything, Ryu-chan." Tohma kissed Ryuichi's forehead before he headed out.  
  
Ryuichi's smile faded once the door closed and the limo had pulled away. He dropped the pink rabbit onto the couch and sunk into the soft cushions letting his mind wander.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
Tatsuha looked around at the coffemakers. So many new features! That was why he liked the old one. It was a lot harder for Ryuichi to get confussed and mess it up.  
  
Tatsuha smiled. Then again, maybe he didn't give Ryuichi enough credit. He only put on this act as a cover up.  
  
But cover up what? Tatsuha had never thought about what Ryuichi was trying to hide behind his carefree child-like facade. What could he possibly be trying to get away from with this game?  
  
"Excuse me?" Tatsuha blinked back to reality and turned expecting a sales associate to be asking him if he needed help. What he came face to face with was a pair of wide blue eyes staring out from underneath long black bangs. The woman looked like possibly a Nittle Grasper fan though more likely a fan of Dir en Grey. "You're Uesugi Tatsuha right?" she asked smiling cautiously.  
  
Good god, she knows my name! "uh...yes. Why?"  
  
"Then you know Sakuma Ryuichi, right?"  
  
....... "Yes...."  
  
"Good! Can you do me a favour and give this to him for me? Please and thank you!" The girl shoved an envelope into Tatsuha's hands before bounding off.  
  
How she bounded in those boots was a mystery to Tatsuha.  
  
Tatsuha stared down at the envelope in his hands. On the front was written just "Ichi-ittchi". The rest of it was plain and white. It didn't feel like anything except paper inside, but....  
  
Tatsuha pulled out his cellphone and dialed Tohma. You couldn't just hand this kind of thing over to Ryuichi.... 


	3. Chapter 2

Note from Shu-chan: I have a new Gravitation CD. Actually one soundtrack and a vocal collection ^.^ :::does little dance::: This should happen pretty fast now! I can't think of anything but Gravitation when I listen to it. Its even hard to work on my manga while listening to it and its even harder to listen to another CD knowing I have a Gravitation CD!!! Prozzak is feeling very unloved right now......well enough of my babble! You came here to read about Ryu and Tats not my issues!!! Sorry this one is kinda short, but you know me! I like to end with a little cliff-hanger. ^.^  
  
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They were all sprawled on the grass staring up at the clouds rolling slowly across the sky. They did this alot it seemed. Just the four of them. The scary looking black haired girl in spikes and buckles. The proper looking boy with glasses and a funny hat. The white haired boy with obvious attitude. The dark haired boy with the big eyes.  
  
Atsuko was humming, her feet drumming the beat of the song they all knew. San, who had only joined the "group" 6 months ago, had his eyes closed but his fingers moved in the memorized movements over the keyboard in his mind. Roh was probably asleep, but even so his fingers twitched as if playing his guitar even in his sleep. Ryuichi sang the words in his head but hummed along with Atsuko.  
  
"When we get famous...." Atsuko said suddenly and the three boys jumped and moved to look at her from at least the corner of their eyes. Ryuichi noted that Roh didn't look as if he'd just been woken up. "When we get famous....I'm gonna buy a house. One where I can have a dog."  
  
Ryuichi laughed, Roh snorted, and San just smiled, but he offered his dream next. He sure had opened up alot since they'd first declared him part of the band after hearing him play piano in the music room after school. "When we get famous I'm going to buy a car."  
  
"You need a liscence to drive it, idiot." Roh muttered.  
  
Atsuko reached over her head to cuff Roh in the face. "And what about you, jackass?"  
  
"A house. Huge. With a lot of rooms I'll probably never use." Roh didn't have a lot right now. He lived in an apartment he was borrowing from an uncle until he got enough money to really get his own place. Roh never had anything. "And I want to go to America."  
  
"America?" Ryuichi shifted to look at Roh. "Why America?"  
  
"Why not? I just want to go there and find a street called Broadway so I can sing there and tell everyone I sang on Broadway."  
  
"Who's an idiot?" Atsuko snorted rolling her eyes.  
  
"I think its cute," San offered.  
  
"You would." Roh sat up and ran a hand back through his platnium blonde hair. It was getting so long, Ryuichi noted smiling.  
  
"What about you, Ichi-ittchi?" Atsuko rolled onto her stomach and smiled at him.  
  
Ryuichi looked back up at the clouds and clapped his hands together. "I don't care. I just want to sing forever. As long as I'm singing I'm happy."  
  
Roh looked over at Ryuichi with no emotion in his expression. Ryuichi smiled at him as his mind accussed him of lying to his friends.  
  
I want to do whatever Roh does.  
  
*****************************************  
  
"Ryuichi?"  
  
Ryuichi opened his eyes and blinked confussed. He had been asleep and dreaming....but he couldn't remember what about.  
  
"Ryuichi, what are you doing?" Tatsuha looked worried. "Are you ok?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded and pulled himself up to sitting on the couch. "Did you get the coffee maker?" Ryuichi smiled up at his young lover happily.  
  
Tatsuha just stared blankly at him. "Coffee....maker.....oh shit!!" Tatsuha threw his hands in the air. "That chick distracted me and I totally forgot it!!"  
  
Ryuichi tilted his head to the side curiously. "Chick?"  
  
"Yeah. What's Ichi-ittchi?"  
  
Ryuichi's face went white. Something about that scared him. "Wha-what?"  
  
"That chick I was talking about. She gave me this letter-" Tatsuha held it out and Ryuichi snatched it from him before he could say anything else.  
  
The handwriting was even familiar.  
  
Ryuichi starred at it. What was it about this letter that scared him so much?  
  
Ryuichi carefully opened the envelope as if it would bite him.  
  
Ryuichi, Been awhile, huh? Well, can you blame us? You just disapeared! But thats ok, now I know why and I forgive you. But look at you! You have a huge house and you've been to America! Did you sing on Broadway? I'm not doing anything quite so interesting. I gave up the band scene for awhile, but now I'm playing in this club band. Its fun. Not quite the same though. Did you hear about San? He never ceases to be amazing! How's Kumagurou? I saw you still have him. I can't believe you take him on tour! Well.....I guess I can really. We've all changed so much. I really want to see you guys. All of you. Just look up the Pandora's Club and ask for me. I'm always there. Hope to see you. Forever and Always, Atsuko  
  
"Who's Atsuko?" Tatsuha asked reading over Ryuichi's shoulder.  
  
"I....I don't know. I don't know who San is either....and how does she know about Kumagurou?"  
  
Tatsuha was very worried now. "You ok, Ryu-chan?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded. "I don't know her, but she knows me. Do you think I should go see her, Tatsuha?"  
  
"Maybe we should talk to Tohma...."  
  
************************************  
  
"You don't know who she is?" Tohma looked up from the letter worry showing in his face.  
  
Ryuichi shook his head. "I might have known her before...." He hugged Kumagurou closer and sulked. "But I don't remember before...."  
  
"Well. She knows Kumagurou. Where did you get him from?" Tatsuha looked over at Ryuichi from his place on one of the couchs in Tohma's office.  
  
Ryuichi held up Kumagurou and blinked at the stuffed rabbit's empty stare. "I don't know," Ryuichi admitted feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. "I've had him as long as I can remember...."  
  
Tohma and Tatsuha exchanged looks and Tohma stood up. "Will you excuse us a moment, Ryuichi? I want to talk to Tatsuha ok?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded straining his memory for anything about where Kumagurou came from. It wasn't until after the door closed behind Tohma and Tatsuha that Ryuichi began to feel sick.  
  
Everything was spinning and then it just went black. 


	4. Chapter 3

Note from Shu-chan: I'm really getting into this! Heehee. Thanks, ChibiUkyo, for makin' me do this! I did kinda want to poke at Ryuichi's past, but never had drive to. Until now!!! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!! Too much caffine from my all nighters I think. I really need to write my Democracy paper instead of fanfics, but we all know which is more fun ^.^* I'm so gonna fail this class anyway....Why oh Why didn't I do this class pass/fail? Enough talk more type! Hai!  
  
************************************************  
  
Ryuichi sat on the floor hunched over a peice of paper, doodling instead of working on the new song they were supposed to be writing.  
  
San and Atsuko were fighting over the music, Ryuichi was in charge of the lyrics. Roh, well, Roh just did what he felt like so why bother? Ryuichi looked up and blinked feeling his cheeks flush when his eyes met Roh's. "Are you ever gonna grow up?" Roh asked dropping down on the floor beside Ryuichi.  
  
Ryuichi looked down at the paper his cheeks burning painfully and nodded too scared of the sounds he'd make if he actually tried to talk.  
  
"Don't. I like you better like this." Roh smiled and took Ryuichi's chin in his hand to turn the younger boy's face to him. Ryuichi just got wide eyed as Roh kissed him.  
  
"I'll never grow up," Ryuichi promised his voice cracking with shock.  
  
Roh actually laughed. "You are adorable, Ryuichi." He looked over at Atsuko and San. "There's a carnival. I know how much you like them. Do you want to go?"  
  
"B-but the song!"  
  
Roh held up the paper Ryuichi had been drawing on. "This the lyrics?" Ryuichi gulped. "You're not into this right now, so let's go and let them work out thier differences. They won't even notice."  
  
Ryuichi looked over at the two still fighting. San could be very forceful when he wanted to be. "Ok. Let's go, Roh." Just the two of us.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Everyone in the studio jumped as the loud crash pounded through the silence. Shindou Shuichi looked up embarrassed and waved sheepishly. "Uh....Lalliho?"  
  
"You're late." Fujisaki Suguru snarled angrily, flames in his eyes.  
  
K was polishing his gun casually and Sakano was unconcious from the part of the ceiling that had fallen on him when K had accidentily fired off a shot. More reasons never to sneak up on him, Hiro tucked that note away for later.  
  
"Shuichi!" Noriko kicked open the door and Shuichi jumped a mile. "Kaicho wants to see you," she said clamly and walked away.  
  
Shuichi put a hand over his pounding heart and looked apologetically to the very angry people still in the room. "I'll be back....uh....get started without me?"  
  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'VE BEEN DOING?!?!?!" Suguru yelled after Bad Luck's lead singer.  
  
Shuichi sweatdropped as he walked down the hall. "Man, Fujisaki is really pissed...I'm dead when I get back there." Mental image of K laughing with a very large gun. Shuichi whimpered pathetically. "Seguchi-san. This better be important."  
  
Shuichi stopped in the doorway and stared. Tatsuha sat on the floor beside a couch where Ryuichi was layed out sleeping. Tohma stood to the side and Noriko sat on his desk. Worry on all their faces.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Ryuichi just passed out. We don't think it's serious, but I need to ask a favor of you, Shindou-san."  
  
Shuichi nodded and stared at his unconscious idol.  
  
********************************************  
  
Yuki Eiri glared through the fog of cigarette smoke that seemed to hover over the crowd. He still wasn't sure how he had let that noisy little brat talk him into coming here. But then again, Tohma had been the one to ask Shuichi so that did make it a little better.  
  
But only a little.  
  
"I promise not to ask you to dance, Yuki." Shuichi smiled at the blonde novelist over his shoulder and sat down at the table for two.  
  
Yuki was secretly grateful. He didn't know the first thing about dancing. As he looked into the crowd he was also glad he had given into some of the noisy idiot's clothing suggestions. Shuichi had just pulled out one of his tour outfits so he blended in well, but Yuki stuck out baddly in the young club crowd.  
  
Yuki's attention was brought back to the other side of the table when he heard his lover's annoying voice. "Where's Atsuko?" The boy was asking one of the waitresses.  
  
The woman pointed to the stage and simply said, "Drums."  
  
Now both turned to the stage where a band played and focused on the drummer. A pretty woman with wild black hair and amazing clothes that were exotic even here. Definantly hard to miss.  
  
"Now we wait until she's done," Shuichi told Yuki leaning closer with a smile.  
  
****************************************************  
  
Ryuichi sat up on the couch rubbing his head. "My brain hurts," he announced.  
  
"Thats a new one," Noriko muttered but dropped down to rub Ryuichi's back reassuringly. "What happened, Ryu-chan? You passed out. We were worried." She looked over to the other couch where Tatsuha had finally crashed exhausted with worry.  
  
"I don't know. I was trying to remember where Kumagurou came from...." He held up the pink rabbit and knew it was important, but he couldn't remember. "Can I go home now?"  
  
Tohma nodded and Noriko woke up Tatsuha. "I'll get a car to take you home." They all knew Ryuichi didn't know how to drive, not that any of them would have let him if he wanted to.  
  
Ryuichi nodded and was silent the whole way home, just staring at Kumagurou. "Why can't I remember anything, Tatsuha?"  
  
Tatsuha shook his head. "I don't know, Ryu-chan. Sometimes its something traumatic, but you forgot like you're whole life right?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded sulking. "I remember Tohma and Noriko-chan, but nothing before."  
  
Tatsuha looked out the window. Hopefully Shuichi would get somewhere with his mission.  
  
********************************************  
  
Atsuko closed the door and collapssed happily into a chair. Yuki was lounging on the couch while Shuichi perched on the couch's edge. "You are much cuter in person, Shindou-san," Atsuko mused smiling.  
  
Shuichi blushed. "Thank you. But I want to ask about Sakuma Ryuichi."  
  
"Of course! What about him?"  
  
"How do you know him?"  
  
Atsuko choked. "He didn't tell you?!"  
  
Shuichi bit his bottom lip. "Sakuma-san doesn't remember."  
  
Atsuko sat up wide eyed. "Really? We grew up together! Me and him and Roh. We had a band in high school. We met San in high school too....." Atsuko sat back thinking.  
  
Shuichi looked at Yuki before turning back to Atsuko. "Well.....maybe....tell us what you know? Like, where did he get Kumagurou?"  
  
"He got Kumagurou at a carnival," Atsuko said slowly her focus still a million miles away. "Roh won him...."  
  
"Who's Roh?"  
  
"Ryuichi's koibito." 


	5. Chapter 4

Note from Shu-chan: well.....I had an ordeal with my computer.....hence the long silence. to make up......I'll put up this really short part and a longer one!!! Yay!!!!  
  
************************************  
  
A pink rabbit with black eyes dropped into Ryuichi's face and Ryuichi blinked then looked up. Roh smiled a little down at him. "I won it. Over there." He nodded his head in the direction of a row of carnival games.  
  
Ryuichi took it and smiled hugging it to his chest. "Thank you, Roh." I'll keep it forever.  
  
Roh snorted. "You look five years old with that thing." Ryuichi pouted and Roh kissed him. "I love it. You make such a cute five year old."  
  
"You're a pedophile aren't you, Roh?"  
  
Roh laughed leaning back on the bench and smiled at Ryuichi. "Such big words for such a little kid. Maybe a little. But only for you, babe." Ryuichi flushed a little as Roh wrapped his arms around his waist to pull the smaller boy close.  
  
"Let's go home, Ichi-ittchi."  
  
*******************************************  
  
Ryuichi rolled over in the bed and hugged Kumagurou. "A carnival....."  
  
Tatsuha opened his eyes groggily. "Wha?"  
  
"I got Kuma at a carnival.....somebody won him for me......" Ryuichi made a face trying to recapture the face in his dream, but it was already gone. "I don't remember who....."  
  
"That's alright." Tatsuha leaned over and kissed him. "Don't worry too much ok? We'll figure it out."  
  
"After coffee?" Tatsuha's brain only worked after coffee.  
  
Tatsuha groaned. "I still haven't gotten a coffee maker!"  
  
Ryuichi jumped out of the bed. "That's ok! Kuma and Ryuichi will take care of it!"  
  
Before Tatsuha could protest they were gone to the kitchen to 'take care of it.'  
  
Not a good sign really. How would they make coffee without a maker? He almost didn't want to think about it, but he really did need to go make sure Ryuichi didn't blow up the kitchen or something worse.  
  
With Ryuichi worse could be possible.  
  
With Ryuichi anything was possible.  
  
Tatsuha had just started out of the bedroom when the phone rang. Tatsuha stared blankly at it a moment before picking it up. "'lo?"  
  
"Tatsuha?"  
  
"Shuichi?"  
  
"Yeah. How's Sakuma-san?"  
  
"He's fine. Makeing coffee.....without a coffee maker." Tatsuha winced as something in the kitchen crashed loudly. "Please bring coffee."  
  
"Ok.....but I have to tell you....." Shuichi's voice trailed off.  
  
"Tell me what?"  
  
"Its about Kumagurou......" 


	6. Chapter 5

Note from Shu-chan: Well.....Finals were craziness. And than Navi broke. And now!!!! Now I have no more days off until Christmas. :::grumbles angrily::: Oh well. All this free time maybe I can get some more written or better yet finished!!!  
  
******************************************  
  
Roh opened one eye as Ryuichi stretched out over his stomach to dig through a draw on the table beside the bed. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Can I have this ribbon?"  
  
"It was Aya's....." Roh eyed the pink ribbon and nodded. "Take it."  
  
Aya was Roh's little sister. She had died not long after their parents. Ryuichi looked at the ribbon and debated whether he should really take it or not. "Thanks, Roh...." He tied the ribbon around the pink rabbit's neck and Roh narrowed his eyes.  
  
"What *are* you doing?"  
  
"It needs a birthday." Ryuichi held up the rabbit. "I don't wanna forget when I got him. And when you tie a ribbon around its neck and give it a name thats its birthday. If you give it your name and give it to the person you love, they will return your love."  
  
"Thats for a bear, not a bunny, Ryuichi." Roh wrapped his arms around Ryuichi's waist and looked at the rabbit. "What is its name anyway?"  
  
Ryuichi got an evil glint in his eyes and smirked before announcing, "Kumagurou."  
  
In an instant Roh had pinned Ryuichi on his back to the mattress. "Who told you that?"  
  
Ryuichi pouted making his eyes big. Roh couldn't stay mad at those eyes and he damn well knew it. "I think its cute, Roh...."  
  
"Baka...." Roh let Ryuichi's shoulders go and sat back. "You are a lot smarter than anyone gives you credit for. Don't tell anyone thats my name though ok? My mother was on drugs or something. I think she forgot how to write from the epiderals...."  
  
Ryuichi laughed. "I won't tell, Kuma."  
  
Roh narrowed his eyes. "I swear. You tell and I'll get Atsuko to teach you how to drive."  
  
"She's crazy!" Ryuichi shreiked. "I'd die! You have to teach me! You promised!"  
  
"I know I know. I wouldn't want another crazy Atsuko student on the road anyway. Just her is plenty. Good thing San is too goody goody to care what she says."  
  
"Promise you'll teach me?"  
  
"I already did. You promise you won't learn from Atsuko."  
  
"I promise. I won't let anybody but you teach me how to drive. Kuma."  
  
"You are so dead."  
  
*****************************************  
  
Ryuichi hugged his rabbit close and looked at the coffee makers with Tatsuha. Tatsuha hadn't liked the instant coffee Kumagurou and Ryuichi had made that morning. They were supposed to meet Shuichi for lunch and Ryuichi was so excited he could hardly stand the waiting.  
  
Tatsuha finally decided on one and turned to get Ryuichi's opinion.  
  
But Ryuichi wasn't behind him anymore.  
  
And then he heard it. The most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Ryuichi was singing with the radio. One of Bad Luck's songs.  
  
This was not going to end well.  
  
Crazy fans and no coffee maker.  
  
Curse this luck!!!  
  
***********************************************  
  
Shuichi drummed his fingers on the table impatiently his foot tapping the beat in his head. He picked up a spoon from Yuki's coffee and drummed that on the table.  
  
A hand on his broke his self induced trance. "Do you have to be so noisey?" Yuki's eyes glared into Shuichi's and the young singer slunk down in the chair trying to sit still.  
  
"Shuichi!!"  
  
Yuki winced as Shuichi jumped up and spun around to look at the door happily. "Sakuma-san!!"  
  
"Shuichi can call me Ryuichi remember?" The older singer beamed excitedly.  
  
Shuichi flushed nodding. "Hi, Tatsuha. And Kumagurou." Shuichi knew better than to ignore the rabbit.  
  
But now that he had talked to Atsuko it was all kind of creepy. And Ryuichi didn't even remember.  
  
"Where's Tohma-"  
  
"Sorry I'm late!" Tohma rushed in before Tatsuha could finish asking and pulled a chair up to the table. "I had a last minute call to take care of."  
  
"Tohma is forgiven," Ryuichi promised smiling happily. "As long as he buys a new coffee maker. Ryuichi still doesn't have one...." Ryuichi sulked and hid his face partially behind Kumagurou.  
  
Tohma nodded. "I'll pick you two up one," the blonde president promised with a smile.  
  
Ryuichi clapped his hands excitedly and buried his face in a menu trying to decide what dessert to get.  
  
The other four all trade looks that spoke volumes.  
  
Somebody had to tell Ryuichi.  
  
"Ryu-chan...." Tatsuha finally started. Ryuichi looked up still grinning.  
  
"We met that Atsuko woman," Shuichi blurted out. Yuki pinched Shuichi under the table. Baka.  
  
"Really?" Ryuichi leaned forward intrested. "What did she say? How does she know me?"  
  
"You grew up with her.....and another boy, Roh. You were all part of a band. Along with that San from the letter," Tohma explained what had been relayed to him by Yuki.  
  
Ryuichi's smile faded and he blinked. "Roh...." Ryuichi loked down at Kumagurou. "Roh won Kumagurou...." Ryuichi closed his eyes trying hard to remember growing up with Roh and Atsuko and being in a band with them and San.  
  
He only succedded in blacking out again. 


	7. Chapter 6

Not from Shu-chan: Lookit that!! Yet a third Gravi CD!!! Oopah! I love Michigan......^.^ Like I could really work on the scanner with this happy music playing! I'd loose all this hatred I worked so hard for. Now I need to go contemplate the future of my manga. Tablet Tablet Tablet!!!  
  
*******************************************  
  
Ryuichi rubbed at his eyes. It was imppossible to tell if he was still crying or if it was just the rain falling down his cheeks. He looked up at the building in front of him and hugged Kumagurou closer. He hadn't ment for this to happen.  
  
Hadn't ment to end up here.  
  
But he had so that ment something.....  
  
He stepped under the slight protection of the doorway and pressed the button for the apartment he wanted.  
  
There wasn't even a question of 'Who is it?' over the intercom, just a buzz to open the door. And that was exactly what Ryuichi did. He climbed into the elevator and pushed the 5 button before sinking exhausted to the floor as the car crept up the shaft slowly.  
  
Ryuichi was crying again when the elevator stopped and the doors opened, but he was standing there waiting. As if he had known who it was and why.  
  
Roh silently picked up Ryuichi and the soaked stuffed rabbit and carried them to the apartment.  
  
"I told you this would happen," was all Roh said as he kicked his apartment door shut.  
  
Ryuichi nodded and sniffled not saying anything. Roh set him down on the worn couch and disapeared into the bedroom a moment coming back with dry clothes and a towel. "C'mon. You're not catching a cold on me." Ryuichi was to tired to protest anything and let Roh undress him and dry him off and get into dry clothes.  
  
Roh was standing at the sink trying to dry out the pink rabbit when Ryuichi wrapped his arms around Roh's waist from behind. "They disowned me. Kicked me out and told me not to come back. They don't care about me anymore, Roh...."  
  
"I told you before, Ichi....I'm a proffesional bad influence. Screwing around with me would only get you in trouble at home."  
  
"But I wasn't screwing around!" Ryuichi protested. "I love you, Roh! I *told* them!!"  
  
"Idiot. Now what are you gonna do? You'll have to move in here and get a real job."  
  
"So?" Ryuichi picked up Kumagurou. "We can raise the kid on our own. We don't have to put him up for adoption....." Ryuichi tried to smile despite how much he hurt.  
  
Roh shook his head. "I made you gay, not pregnant, idiot." Roh pulled Ryuichi close. "We're gonna have to go back for your stuff you know...."  
  
"I know...."  
  
*********************************************  
  
Ryuichi looked apologetically at them all and winced at the stares. "I really am ok...."  
  
"If you were ok, you wouldn't keep passing out, Ryuichi. You have to see the doctor." Tatsuha sat on the edge of the bed. "There could be something really wrong."  
  
Ryuichi looked at Tohma and Shuichi and even Yuki was nodding. "Ok....But I still think I'm ok," he muttered like a small pouty child.  
  
Tohma motioned for the others to follow him as Tatsuha slammed his fists on the edge of the bed. "Just stop it, Ryuichi. Something's wrong ok? I can't just sit here when something could be really wrong with you. Until we know for sure you are *not* fine."  
  
Ryuichi winced sinking down on the bed as if he could hide under the blankets and make it all go away.  
  
Unfortunatly Tatsuha did go away.  
  
Ryuichi watched the door close and whimpered hugging Kumagurou closer.  
  
*****************************************  
  
"So?" Tatsuha looked at the others with a hopeful look.  
  
Tohma shook his head. "He's fine. The doctor says its probably just some memories surfacing. He forgot them and now they are fighting to be remembered."  
  
Tatsuha sighed. "So what do we do? Wait this storm out?"  
  
Tohma nodded slowly. "Until he's gotten past all this and whatever triggered it, we just have to keep a bit of a closer eye on him. Make sure he doesn't get hurt."  
  
Tatsuha nodded. "I'll take care of him. But its gonna cost you a coffee maker. I haven't had coffee in three days."  
  
*********************************************  
  
"Don't cry, Ryu-chan. I'm still here."  
  
Ryuichi nodded and rubbed his eyes. "I know, Kumagurou. Thanks...." Ryuichi considered that a moment and held the stuffed rabbit at arms length. He had had the rabbit so long. It had been a gift.  
  
From someone he didn't remember anymore. Why?  
  
What had happened?  
  
Ryuichi set Kumagurou down and looked out the window. How could he just forget that much?  
  
"-ied."  
  
Ryuichi blinked. "What?"  
  
"You lied, Ryuichi."  
  
Ryuichi looked down at Kumagurou. The black eyes were accusing now. "I didn't lie!" Ryuichi protested.  
  
"Yes you did. You promised you wouldn't forget."  
  
"I-i didn't mean to! I don't know why I can't remember! I didn't-"  
  
"You did!"  
  
This time it wasn't Kumagurou. The voice was deeper.  
  
And familiar from somewhere deep and warm.  
  
Ryuichi looked up at the young man standing at the foot of his bed. White hair falling into angry eyes. "You forgot, Ryuichi. You forgot about me." 


	8. Chapter 7

Notes from Shu-chan: Well! This is it! The end! I have no more parts after this. Now I'll have to think of something else to write....hmmm.....I'm sure inspiration will come to me eventually! I'm open to more ideas (wink wink nudge nudge)  
  
*********************************************  
  
"I promise, Roh....I won't ever forget you...."  
  
Ryuichi sank to his knees beside the car and hugged Kumagurou tighter, his mind going numb.  
  
When the police came Ryuichi was absolutly vacant. He moved as they directed without any sign of actually knowing what was going on.  
  
"Well, the dead one had a wallet on him. Sakuma Kumagurou. What about that one?" The officer nodded over to the dark haired boy that sat staring ahead without seeing in a police car.  
  
"I heard the uh....dead guy....call him Ryuichi." The other driver offered hopefully. "And then Ryuichi said that he was the only family he had left."  
  
The officers looked over at the boy and stepped closer. "Ryuichi?" One ventured. "Sakuma Ryuichi?"  
  
Vacant eyes lifted to them.  
  
********************************************  
  
Seguchi Tohma made a face and walked down the stark white halls. He hated hospitals.  
  
More than that he hated having to kiss up to an aunt that hated him. He much rather she just die and get it over with. He had things to do.  
  
Like auditions with Noriko. How were they supposed to start a band if the old hag kept living and demanding he visit?  
  
The blonde pushed the elevator button impatiently. He wanted out of here as fast as possible.  
  
He closed his eyes, but all he could think about was Eiri in that white hospital room.  
  
"And it was my fault...."  
  
"Mou....Don't be sad." A high voice said. There was a gentle tug on Tohma's sleeve to go with it.  
  
Tohma turned expecting a small child. What he got was a boy his age looking at him worriedly while the stuffed rabbit he was holding tugged at Tohma's shirt sleeve.  
  
"Kumagurou says it probably wasn't your fault," The boy said matter of factly.  
  
Tohma blinked and smiled at the boy. He was weird, but sweet. "Well, thank you , Kumagurou." Tohma bowed to the boy and his rabbit as the elevator doors slid open. The boy stepped inside with Tohma and Tohma frowned. "Are you allowed to leave that floor?"  
  
The boy nodded. "Kuma and I are on the third floor." Tohma noted the boy's pajamas then. He glanced at the hospital directory board to make sure the boy wasn't contagious and swallowed.  
  
Go figure. The psych ward.  
  
"My name is Ryuichi," The boy told him smiling.  
  
"Tohma."  
  
Ryuichi beamed happily and started humming. Tohma didn't recognize the tune, but he liked it.  
  
And then Ryuichi began to sing.  
  
************************************  
  
The door slammed shut and Noriko glared feircely at Tohma. "I know you like him, Tohma. I know he can sing. God, do I know. But that is the fifth guitarist he's chased off!!"  
  
Tohma sighed and examined the papers in his hands. "He told you he didn't want a guitarist. You, Noriko, are the only one who wants one." Tohma looked up and smiled softly. "Look. I'm going to eat with Eiri. We'll talk about this later ok? We can work it out with out a guitar."  
  
Tohma opened the door for Noriko and she sighed stepping out. "I'll stay here with him for a little while," She said. "So he doesn't get lonely and you don't have to worry about two crazies at once."  
  
"Eiri is fine." Tohma said flatly. He had been out of the hospital long before they even met Ryuichi. Ryuichi liked Eiri, but Eiri stayed away.  
  
"He's too hyper," Eiri had told Tohma. "Too happy...."  
  
Tohma sighed again closing the door behind them. "Thank you, Noriko. I won't be too late."  
  
Noriko nodded and waved as Tohma stepped out the front door.  
  
"All right, you little.....we're gonna resolve this guitarist thing if it kills us...."  
  
***********************************  
  
"This is a stick up!" The cold steel of the barrels gun pressed against the side of Ryuichi's head. Ryuichi froze even though he had no idea what had just been said dince it had been English.  
  
"You want to drive?" K laughed and leaned into the driver side wind of the car and smiled at the child like singer who stared wide eyed back at him.  
  
Ryuichi was sitting behind the steering wheel and had been acting out a wild race with Kumagurou strapped in the seat beside him. Ryuichi looked at the steering wheel for a long moment silently as if pondering it over.  
  
"I could teach you." K held out the car keys to tempt him, but that seemed to be the wrong thing to say or do.  
  
Ryuichi shook his head. "No. I don't want to learn." There was a haunted look in the boy's eyes as he stared at the wheel, but then he looked up to K and smiled with his usual playful grin. "I want K to drive me always! Kuma likes K's driving too!"  
  
K nodded. "Well then. Out of the seat so we can get going."  
  
*****************************************  
  
Tatsuha rested his head on his arm, his hand holding Ryuichi's. He sighed and stroked the fingers before burrying his face in his arm to fight the tears.  
  
They had all gone out to get food and when they came back......no one was sure what had happened, but Ryuichi had taken a bad turn.  
  
This couldn't just be memories....  
  
"Ichiharu....."  
  
Tatsuha blinked and choked back a sob straining to hear.  
  
"Tatsuha?" He lifted his head to see Ryuichi's big eyes staring worriedly at him. "What's wrong?" Tatsuha couldn't talk. Ryuichi was more worried about him than his ownself.  
  
"You've been out for two days, Ryu....." Tatsuha sniffed despite his best efforts not to.  
  
"Out....?" Ryuichi blinked and looked around.  
  
"What's Ichiharu?"  
  
Ryuichi looked down at him blankly for a moment then smiled. "My last name. Sakuma is my married name."  
  
Tatsuha blinked dumbly. "Married....name?"  
  
Ryuichi laughed and hugged Tatsuha's head. "I remember everything now.....its all gonna be ok now, I promise."  
  
Tatsuha climbed onto the bed and hugged Ryuichi back tightly. "Good. I don't want to loose you, Ryuichi. I love you and I don't want to think about what I'd be like without you."  
  
"You would be you. But you without me.....But you're right. I don't want to think about it either. I want to think about what we're gonna do when we get out of here."  
  
"Coffee maker...." Tatsuha mumbled tiredly.  
  
Ryuichi laughed. "You still haven't bought a coffee maker?" He hugged Tatsuha close and looked at the pink stuffed rabbit staring at him from the table it sat on.  
  
I won't forget, Roh. Not anymore.....but I will move on.  
  
***********Owari********** 


End file.
